Folding coach step



G. E. SMTH FOLDING COACH STEP Filed Aug. 27

192:5 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 G E. SMWH FOLDNG COACH STEP 1923 2 Shams-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27

wute@ SWIM@ Patented Febb 26,

nonnina' conci-r sans.

Application filed August 27, i923, Serial No. 659,585

Y To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that l",'GfnonGn E. Sii-airis, a citizen oi the United States, resid-.iupat @il City, in the parish of Caddo and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and usetul Folding Coach Step, ot which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide a novel means whereby the lower tread oi a set oi steps on a passenger coach may be raised and lowered at the will o an operator, thereby rendering it unnecessary for a train attendant to carry a stool, as is now the custom, the stool being used to lessen the space between the low rinost tread andthe ground, novel means being supplied for operating the tread and for holding it in a lowered position.

It is within the province to improve generally to enhance utility of devices of tiiat type to which invention appertainsa 1Within the scope or" what is claimed, a mechanic may make rnany changes in the particular forni shown, without departing from the spirit of the invention, the drawings showing a preferred form, but not the only one in which the invention may be ernbodied.

ln the drawings:

Figure l shows in plan, a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation wherein parts appear in section; and Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 or Figure 2,

In carrying out the invention, there is provided brackets l adapted to be secured in any suitable way to the trarne work or a passenger coach or other vehicle. The brackets l carry a iframe 2 supported in part by braces 3, secured at their upper ends, as at 42, to the traine 2, and attached at their lower ends to the frame by securing elements 30. The lower members ai the trame 2 are designated by the numeral e. The frame 2 carries the treads 5 and the risers 6 of a fixed stairway. A

Depending rearwardly ilo-ldable hangers 8 are connected by securing elements 'Z' with the lower members d of the trame 2, a rearwardly oldable riser 9 being carried by the hangers 8. rlhe numeral 10 marks a foldable tread connected by pivot elements .ll with the lower ends of the hangers 8. Through the outer edge of the vifoldable tread 10 extends a rod 12, whereon are pivoted of the disclosure the the the lowerends of upwardly foldable knucklejoint braces d, the upper ends of the braces la being carried by the securing elements 7. Upwardly oldable knuckle joint braces l5` are connected rs1 co 18 which connect the partso'f the 'foldable knuckle joint braces l5. The links 17 have flanges i9, which, coacting with the levers i6, hold the links and the levers in the position shown in Figure 2,

Longitudinal braces 2O are secured inter mediate their ends to tue trarne 2 as shown at 2l, the U* er ends ot the braces being o the brackets l. The lower bra-ces 2O are carried by thesecuringelements i7. The lower end of a support is mounted on the securing eleinent 30, the support being attached at 24 intermediate its ends, to one of the braces 20. @ne end oi a track 25, in the form oi a rod is mounted on the upper end of the support 23. The other end of the track or rod 25 is carried any desired way. ln order that the device be attached in one piece to a car, the upper end of the track 25 is mounted in an 26 on the uppermost tread 5, although the upper end ot the track 25 may be taken care of in any desired way, so ar as its mounting is concerned.

A guide 2'? is secured at its upper end to the frame 2, and is connected to the support 23. ln the guide 27, a slide 28 is mounted for rcciprocation, the slide 28 carrying an upstanding trarne 29 provided with a handle 3l. The slide 28, the frame 29 and the handle 3l may be designated generally as a carriage, mounted for reciprocation on the )fixed stairway, whereof the treads 5 and the risers 6 constitute part. rlhe handle 3l carries a spring actuated grip 32 ot known form, mounted to reciprocate on the track 25, the grip including levers 33 adapted to be pinched together, to release the hold or" the grip 32 on the track. A glance at Figure l oi the drawings will show the general construction of the grip 32 and a descent into details is not necessary, since the grip is of cornrnon form, and in view of the fact at their ends with thesecur-v ing elements 30 and with the pivot elements that various sorts of grips may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. l

Assuming that the parts are arranged as shown in Figure 2, the upper ends of the levers 16 are swung downwardly and forwardly, the links 17 causing the toldable braces 15 to knuckle upwardly. This sets the hangers 8 and the riser 9 tree, so that these parts can be folded backwardly. The oldable joint braces 14 are knuckled upwardly thus setting the tread 10 free, so that the same can move upwardly and backwardly. The grip 32 is released from the track 25 and, through the instrumentality of the handle 31 the carriage 28-29-31 is moved rearwardly, the slide 28 moving rearwardly in the guide 27. Since the slide 2S is connected at its lower end to the rod 12 in the foldable tread 10, the tread 10 is carried upwardly and rearwardly and the hangers 8 and the riser 9 are carried up- Wardly and rearwardly beneath the lowermost one of the fixed treads 5 of the stairway. When the levers 38 are released, the grip 32 will engage the track 25 and hold the parts in the positions shown in dotted line in Figure 2.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a fixed stairway, a track on the stairway, a guide on the stairway, a carriage interen- Maggio gaged slidably with the track and with the guide, means for holding the carriage in adjusted positions, a oldable riser pivoted to the stairway, and a oldable tread pivoted to the riser, the tread being connected to the carriage. v

2. In a device of the class described, a fixed stairway, a track on the stairway, a guide on the stairway, a slide mounted for reciprocation on the guidea trame carried by the slide, a handle on the frame and mounted for reciprocation on the track, means carried by the handle for gripping the track, a foldable step pivoted to the stairway, and means for connecting the step with the slide.

3. In a device of the class described, a fixed stairway, a foldable step pivoted to the stairway, a track carried by the stairway, a carriage mounted for reciprocation on the track, means for holding the carriage in adjusted positions on the track, and means for connecting the carriage to the ste Ilii testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEoRGE E. SMITH.

Witnesses:

W. J. I-IonzINsnR, F. C. OLEARY. 

